Silent Knight
by Damsel O'Kelly
Summary: Two young cousins are rescued from a fire by a silent stranger, and then disappear. Will they ever meet their hero? A spat between Queens and Manhattan may make it impossible, and might even cost them their lives...
1. New Beginning

Silent Knight by Damsel

* * *

He didn't say a word. He just took me in his arms and carried me away. Away from the flames that would soon take me away, they way they had taken my mother. I could feel his breath, not matching the heat of the flames, as he ran out the door. As we burst into the night air, I gulped it in, filling my lungs. The stars were barely visible as he laid me on the ground gently. The smoke clouded everything: I couldn't even see this hero's face. A scream. He ran back into the building. Minutes later he emerged back through the smoke, my younger cousin and her puppy tucked under his arm.

The fire carriage arrived soon after, taking over for the hero. I could hear him coughing, and I struggled to find him. Finally spotting him, I grabbed his arm. He groaned painfully. My hand found it's way to my mouth as I saw what had caused his pain. His right upper arm was burned, rather badly, and blisters were forming even as I watched. Taken by surprise, I quickly spun around and crawled back to my cousin.

* * *

Inside The Hero

'Where are they? I know they're in here...I heard their screams. I've got to find them. I couldn't save that woman, but I can save them. Oh! There's one! In the corner!' I groaned and lifted the child into my arms.

As I ran, I caught a glimpse of her. She didn't look that much younger then me, actually. 13 or 14, I guessed. Laying the girl safely on the ground, I ran back into the building. More screams led me to the missing child. She had a puppy with her, and I scooped both of them up. I screamed, watching as the burning wood hit my arm. Somehow, I put the fire out, my skin burning beneath my tattered shirt. Once again, I greeted the welcome blast of fresh air as I ran through the door.

I practically threw the other girl down, and collapsed to my knees. I coughed, trying to get the smoke out of my burning lungs. I felt a hand on my burning flesh, and cried out. It was the girl, the first girl. Her face twisted in confusion and she hastily crawled away from me. Lungs burning, flesh melting, I laid down on the cool ground. My eyes felt as if they had melted shut, and I let myself sleep.

* * *

"Where are we going?" My cousin whispered to me in the darkness. Her shivering hand clasped my own as her other red, freezing palm moved to push her blonde hair away from her eyes.

Funny, I hadn't noticed how cold it was until I noticed that she was shivering. My body continued to radiate from the heat of the fire that was now behind us. After the screaming neighbors and fire department had come to us, I grabbed my cousin and ran. We ran into the nearby woods, escaping the flames and fear, as Poppy, my cousin's small mutt followed us closely. I didn't care where we were going, as long as we got away from the hushed whispering and the staring eyes.

"Chloe? Chloe, didja hear me?" My cousin asked, her big brown eyes stared up at me.

"I...I dunno where we're going, Dora." I mumbled back. I didn't know what to say! How could I tell my own cousin, who was nine years younger than me, that her parents had died in the blaze that we nearly escaped? If it hadn't been for that stranger..."That boy" I said out loud.

"What boy?" her small voice asked, close to trembling.

"The boy who saved us." I stated. For the first time that night I saw a tear slowly make it's way down Dora's cheek, as if she almost realized the grave danger we were in.

"Oh." And then there was silence as we walked on down a forgotten path.

* * *

The next morning

"Honey? Honey, are you awake?" 'Uckgh, mom it's not even light outside,' I thought as I winced against the soft feminine voice. A slight throbbing ran it's way up the left side of my body- straight up to my head, and I certainly didn't feel like waking up.

"Is he awake yet?" A man's voice asked near me. Where was I?

"No, doctor, he hasn't waken, yet." Doctor? I finally opened my eyes slowly, a confused look surely on my face.

"What the...?" I breathed slowly, staring at the white walls that surrounded me. A man with glasses and a woman (who were both dressed in white) looked at me expectantly as I blinked my eyes. "Uh, hi."

The man, who I assumed was the doctor, stepped towards me and clapped a hand over my shoulder lightly. It was then that I noticed the bandage on my left arm. "Do you know where you are, son?" The doctor asked me, his green eyes flashing slightly under the glasses. I could see my weary reflection in the lenses, and the sunken, tired looking face frightened me.

"My first guess would be a hospital." I stated, resisting the urge to laugh.

"That's right, young man. There was a fire. Do you remember?" The nurse piped up.

"Fire..." I trailed off as flashbacks from the night before began to flood my mind. I was walking through the woods when I felt smoke. Heard screams.

An old farm house was on fire, people trapped inside, I couldn't breath, I could hardly think...the woman...

"My God, Doctor, he's shaking." The woman muttered softly. I took a shake breath and held it for a minute to regain control. I looked at the nurse and noticed that she was clutching a newspaper in front of her. She saw me looking at it and held it out to me. "Oh, I should probably mention to you that you made the paper." She rested the paper face up on my lap, reading the headline of The Sun to me, "Fire claims woman's life-- two young children saved by unknown hero and then vanish."

"You're someone's knight in shining armor, boy." The doctor said with a slight smile on his face. "You suffered a large burn on your arm, I'm afraid. And a few cuts on..."

"The girls," I interrupted quickly. "They disappeared?"

"Yes," The nurse replied, the creases on her face deep. "No one's been able to find them. Authorities think they may have ran to the city, but we don't know."

I sat quietly for the rest of the doctor and nurse's stay. They described in technical detail to me the burns on my arm and the smoke inhalation that I suffered. Bottom line was that they wanted to keep me in the hospital for a few days. I couldn't get the young girls off my mind. The horrified look on the older girl's face as she saw the hurt on my face after she touched my arm. The scream of the dying woman… I had to get out. I had to get out of the hospital and find those girls. And I had to do it soon, before their lives were in danger again.

* * *

"Dora, at least PRETEND you're trying to keep up." I told my cousin.

"But Chloe, I'm so tired!" She replied, rubbing her eyes. I pushed her soot- covered hand away from her eyes. Sighing loudly, I searched for a place to rest. A nearby tree seemed to be the best option.

"Alright Dora, you win. We'll sleep here tonight, okay?"

Dora nodded her head, and lifted her arms up to me expectantly. Leaning down, I lifted my tiny cousin in to my arms. Settling back against the tree, I rubbed my cousins back, concentrating on keeping her warm. Within seconds she was snoring. I breathed deeply and looked around. My thoughts drifted back to our hero, and I couldn't help but thinking about where he was. Dora shifted her head on my shoulder, and I patted her head. Humming softly, I began to sing the lullaby my aunt had sung to my cousin and I since we were babies. My mother had died of a fever when I was just two years old. I was sent by my father to live with my aunt and uncle. Seven years later, just after Dora was born, my uncle was killed in the factory where he worked. My aunt raised Dora and I by herself. Now my young cousin's life was in my hands, and the responsibility was overwhelming. I did not cry about my aunt's death. I didn't have time for emotions. For a minute, I sat staring up at the stars. Poppy jumped up and licked my face, bringing my thoughts back to Dora. Where would we go? I was only 14, how was I supposed to care for my cousin and myself without a penny to my name, or a family member to rely on? I decided to put my thoughts aside for the night, and nestled back against the tree.

* * *

I waited until the nurses and doctors had gone, and quietly stepped out of my bed. I squinted my eyes, trying to find where they had put my clothes. I tripped over a wooden chair in the corner of my room, and winced as something crashed to the floor. Praying that no one had heard, I continued the search for my clothing. My hand found a doorknob, and I twisted it, revealing a closet. Sighing with relief, I grabbed my coat and hobbled out the door. I had learned all I could about the girls from the hospital nurse. I found out they were cousins, and they both lived with the woman that had died. As I thought again about the woman, a wave of grief came over me. A crash of lightning jerked me from my thoughts. 'Great, just what I need', I thought. I headed for the closest building, walking through the door just as the first drops of rain began to fall.

* * *

"Great." I said out loud, as I shook Dora awake. "That's all we need."

Dora rubbed her eyes, yawned, and propped herself up against me. Poppy greeted her in the usual fashion- jumping up onto her lap and flopping on her back, hinting for a good belly scratch. I laughed at the duo and stood up, taking Dora's hand.

"Come on, it's starting to rain. We have to find somewhere to go."

"But Chloe, why can't we stay here? The woods aren't that bad!"

"It's not healthy to stay in the rain, Dora. Besides, you're afraid of thunder." I whispered. Dora's lower lip jutted out and she crossed her arms.

"I am not, you liar! I'm staying!"

With that, she plopped down on the ground and closed her eyes. I was not in the mood to deal with her stubbornness, so I waved a goodbye and walked away, knowing that she would follow. Sure enough, with the next boom of thunder came Dora and Poppy, grabbing my hand with fright. I smiled and put my arm around her shoulder.

"Come on now, we have to hurry." She picked Poppy up in her slender arms, and we ran into the city.

* * *

"Hello there boy. Can I help you?"

An elderly man with glasses and a bowler hat greeted me. Apparently the building I had wondered in to was a lodging house where I could pay to stay. He introduced himself as Jason Kloppman, asking me to just call him Kloppman. I told him I simply needed a place to stay for the night, out of the storm. He smiled a kind smile, and pushed a book towards me. "What's this?"

"It's our log. Our sign-in book. Just put your name down right there."

He handed me a pen. I stared at it, glancing back up at the kind man. He narrowed his eyes at me compassionately, "You know how to write, boy?"

I looked away and shook my head, catching his eyes as I looked the other way again. The sympathy in his eyes caused a pain in my stomach, and I glanced at my hand awkwardly.

"What's your name?" He asked quietly.

"Callahan." I answered, "Freddie Callahan."


	2. On the Move

Sure enough, I was right about the storm and soon it started to rain. I held on to Dora's hand as we ran through the streets of Manhattan. I glanced around for a place to stay, but the rain made it difficult to see. We rounded the corner into a particularly dark alley.

"Hold on to my skirt." I told Dora. I could feel her tiny hands pulling slightly on my skirt.  
Poppy jumped ahead of us, yelping in to the driving rain.

"Poppy! Come back here you stupid mutt!" I yelled.

I muttered to myself as my cousin continued to call for her dog. We stumbled along in the dark, searching for the dog and shelter from the rain. Dora's hand slipped from my skirt and she ran ahead to find Poppy.

"Dora! Dora come back here. Dora!" I groaned and pushed off the wall, jogging further down the alley.

"Chloe I'm over here! Chloe! Poppy found something! Come here!" I struggled in the dark, following my cousin's voice. Dora grabbed my hand and led me towards Poppy's discovery.

"What is it, Chloe?"

I kneeled down next to the dog, patting the dogs small head. He was pawing at a piece of wood that was propped against the alley wall. Grunting, I pulled the wood away from the wall, and muffled a scream at what lay beneath it. A child, who couldn't be much more than 4, was huddled against the wall, a thin line of blood making a path from his nose to the ground. A cut ran down the left side of his face, streaking blood across his soft features. I glanced at Dora.

"Go over there, and wait for me. Stay facing the other way, okay?"

She did so, nodding obediently, and I turned back to the young boy. Not knowing how badly he was injured and completely lacking medical knowledge, I poked his shoulder. He moaned and jerked a little at my touch. I sighed in relief, and turned him onto his back.

"Hello. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm going to try and help you. My name is Chloe. Don't be afraid, I want to help."

The little boy opened his eyes slightly, moaning again with the effort. A flash of lightning illuminated the scene, and I noticed his right eye had a nasty shiner. His little hand found mine, and he squeezed.

He whispered, "I wanna go home."

"Where's home? Tell me where you live." I asked.

He took in a raspy breath, and lifted his arm, pointing back down the alley.

"Alright. You show me." I took off my blue over shirt and wrapped his tiny body in it. Lifting him into my arms, I found Dora and Poppy and together we trekked back through the alley.

* * *

"Racetrack! Come here!" Kloppman yelled.

A boy with dark hair, and a friendly smirk, made his way to the desk. "Yeah, Kloppy?"

"This here's Freddie. Show him where he can sleep, alright?"

"Shoa thing Klopp. Dis way Freddie."

The boys turned to leave, and Kloppman reached out, grabbing Freddie's sleeve. The boy turned and Kloppman whispered, "This'll stay between you and me.", pointing to the ledger. Freddie smiled, and followed Racetrack up the stairs.

* * *

The next hour was an exhausting one. The boy led me through the streets of Manhattan, growing weaker with every step. Thankfully the rain had let up a little, and it was easier to see where I was going. Dora clung to my skirt, and said nothing. The silence was an unusual thing for her, and I wondered what she was thinking. Glancing down at her, she met me eyes and I smiled reassuringly. She smiled back half-heartedly and the boy raised his arm once more.

"Heah." he whispered, almost too soft to hear.

I looked up at the building before us, and readjusted my arms beneath the boy. The sign that hung from it read 'Newsboys Lodging House'. So, the child was a newsie. A tiny whimper reminded me of the task at hand, and I reached out the knock on the door.

* * *

The newsies looked up as three knocks were heard from the door.

"Wondah who dat could be." A boy with curly black hair said, momentarily glancing up from his card game.

"Why don't ya go find out Mush?" Another boy, who sported sandy blonde hair and a cowboy hat said somewhat sarcastically.

"Shoa thing Jack." Said the first boy, setting down his cards. He glanced around the table and narrowed his eyes. "Nah." He said, slipping the cards in his pocket.

He walked to the door, and turned the handle. On the other side stood a girl, who was dripping wet and carrying a small boy. A smaller version of the girl poked her head out from behind her skirt. Suddenly, a puppy ran past them, and through Mush's legs into the lodging house. Mush glanced behind him, grinning slightly as his fellow newsies chased the soaked mutt around the room. A cough turned his attention back to the girl, and he asked, "Can I help ya?"

The girl shifted her weight, "Yes. I found this boy in the alley, and he led me here. He says this is where he lives, do you know him?"

Mush's eyes grew wide and he gestured behind him. "Guys! Guys it's Joey!"

He took the boy from Chloe's arms, and ran inside, kicking the door shut behind him. Still outside, Chloe was qutie taken aback and took a step backwards.

"Well, your welcome.."she muttered, as the door opened again. She turned to find Mush standing there, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Sorry lady. I wasn't thinkin'…with Joey an' all."

Chloe grinned wearily and shuffled her feet. "That's quite alright."

Mush grinned, "Come on in."

He moved aside and ushered her into the lodging house. She could see the boy, who she now knew was named Joey, laid out upon a table, his shirt removed, revealing more bruises and cuts.

"What happened to him?" Chloe asked, pointing to Joey.

"Prolly some hot heads from Queens got to 'im. Manhattan ain't on real good terms wit 'em right now. Hey thanks fer bringin' him in. He's just a liddle guy. He wasn't s'posed to be out on his own, a few guys went lookin' for 'im already."

Chloe shook her head and winced, "It was just lucky that my dog found him."

"No kiddin," Mush sighed, rubbing a hand through his curly hair. After a delayed moment, he turned to Chloe. "What were you two doin' out in dis weathah anyway?"

"We don't have anywhere else to go," Chloe replied, dropping her head.

Mush pursed his lips in thought, gazing with concern, "It ain't safe on da streets right now. For anybody, but 'specially liddle goils, so maybe you two should just stay heah fer a while."

The girl raised her dark eyebrows, thinking of her options. Deciding this was by far the best one presented, she gave a quick nod of approval. "Alright."


	3. Introductions

Mush smiled, "Great. Besides, I think da guys made a new friend." He gestured behind him to where a group of young boys were huddled beside Dora and Poppy. They seemed to be enjoying the playful pooch.

Dora looked up, catching her cousins' gaze. Chloe gestured for Dora, and the little girl crossed the room obediently. Putting an arm around the much shorter girl, Chloe pulled her cousin to her side. She looked up at Mush with her wide brown eyes. "This is Dora."

The boy bowed jokingly, "Dora, nice to meet ya."

She curtsied politely in return and in her small voice she stumbled through, "Pleasure to make your 'cquaintance."

Chloe chuckled and continued her introductions, "The little monster over there is Poppy." Extending her free hand, she finished with, "And I'm Chloe."

Mush started to bring his hand to his mouth, but stopped suddenly. Sheepishly he met Chloe's handshake. "Dey call me Mush."

"Mush," she repeated, "Alright."

The trio turned at a sudden commotion, seeing the boy with the cowboy hat carrying Joey towards a set of stairs at the side of the room. "Cleah out, make way." He yelled, and the newsies moved aside.

Dora cowered closer to Chloe, who bent down and gathered the little girl in to her arms. "Who's that?" asked Chloe, looking towards the cowboy.

"Oh dat's Jack. Or Cowboy, whichevah." Mush answered. "I guess I should show ya around. But foist…" Mush made his way through the crowded room to an elderly man in a bowler. Chloe couldn't hear what they were saying, and she stood awkwardly as Mush and the man looked her way. Dora plopped her head on to Chloe's shoulder, yawning softly. The man came towards them.

"Hello, Mush heah tells me you two need a place to stay." The white-haired man smiled, eyes shining kindly.

"True," Chloe smiled back. "I'm Chloe, and this is Dora."

"My name's Kloppman." He began to walk away, and a gesture over his shoulder told Chloe to follow. "Come with me, let's get ya signed in."

He led them to a wooden desk, reached underneath it, and dropped a large book on its surface. "I just need ya to give me your john hancock right…..heah." he said, pointing to an empty space.

"Okay," Chloe stretched for the pen, but struggled with Dora drifting to sleep on her hip. Kloppman grinned, holding out his arms. "Thanks." Chloe sighed, handing off the dozing child. Now able to reach the pen, Chloe signed their names fairly legibly. 'Chloe Elaine, Dora LouEllen Sheehan.' Almost setting the pen down, she remembered to add, '(And Poppy.)'


	4. Waiting for the Game

With a grunt of exasperation, a fair skinned brunette plopped down in to a wooden chair, propping his elbow on the table next to it. "Can we finish da game already?" he cried.

Another dark haired newsie sat a couple chairs away. "No joke, let's get dis game goin."

"Come on guys, we gotta see if Joey's alright. Jack'll be back in a few minutes." A third, lighter haired boy added, adjusting his thin-rimmed glasses.

The first boy sighed, scrunching his face in to a ball of impatience. "You hoid what Kloppman said, he'll be fine. Jist needs some rest, dat's all."

"He's jist a kid, Race. And you know how he looks up ta Jack…jist let 'im talk to da squirt." Mush chimed in, coming down the stairs. Chloe was close behind.

The disgruntled brunette, Racetrack, pulled out the chair next to him as Mush sauntered towards the table. "Take a seat Mush. Yer friend can sit next to ya."

Mush nodded and took his place at the table. Chloe hesitantly pulled back the chair on the other side of him, and sat down. Putting his hand on the back of her chair, Mush cleared his throat, "Guys, dis heah's Chloe. She brought Joey in wit 'er cousin, Dora." A quiet bark sounded from beneath the table. Mush looked for the source of the sound, and retrieved the now-dry dog. "Oh, yeah. And Poppy."

The boy with the glasses, seated next to Chloe, grinned her way. "My name's Specs." Chloe gave a slight nod.

"I answah to Itey." Said the dark haired boy seated on the other side of Specs: Another nod.

All eyes turned to the remaining boy, who was shuffling through and arranging the cards in his hand. Sensing the sudden attention, he lifted his dark eyes. "Oh. Sorry." He grinned at Chloe, "Racetrack."

Chloe mumbled a hello to them all, and began to tap her foot nervously. She glanced towards the ceiling. Mr. Kloppman had helped her find a bed and sheets, which Dora was presently making good use of. The sound of a chair scraping against the floor brought her attention back to the table. The boy with the cowboy hat, Jack, had claimed the chair across from her, wearing an amiable smirk. "Let's finish dis."

"Bout time," Itey said under his breath.

* * *

The heat was nearly unbearable. His skin writhed with pain, and he let out a cry. Turning to find a way out, he only found himself going deeper and deeper in to the smoky depths. A piercing scream cut to the center of his brain, bringing him to his knees. Flames crept toward him. He tried to stand, but the scream would grow louder and his legs could no longer support him. Just as the flames began to crawl up his seething body, a new sound echoed through the fiery pit; a soft, and distant lullaby.

* * *

Dora rolled over, awake from her nap. She brought a little hand to her eye and rubbed the sleep away. Yawning, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Chloe and Mr. Kloppman had found an empty bottom bunk towards the back of a long row of beds. Still tired, Dora searched the room groggily, squinting in the dim light. A soft moan brought her attention to a bed a few spaces away. Lightly hopping to the floor, she inched towards the other bunk. A boy, years older than her, was covered by a thin blanket, rolling and twisting in his sleep. He looked like he was in pain, and Dora tilted her head, looking at him intently. She knew this face, he looked somehow familiar. She also knew the rolling and twisting- the poor boy was having a nightmare.

Dora was familiar with nightmares- she was plagued by them when she was younger. Carefully, Dora climbed on to the bed next to the boy and put his head on her tiny lap, as her mother had done to her countless times. Smoothing the boys' damp hair back from his forehead, Dora began to quietly sing the song her mother had once used to cure her of her nightmares.

The boy slowly stopped twisting. His face relaxed, releasing the painful look. Dora continued to rub the boys head as she finished her lullaby. Again remembering her mothers' nightmare cure, the little girl bent and gently kissed the boys' forehead. With that, she tiptoed back to her bunk, and slipped under the covers once again.


	5. Near Misses

Freddie sat up quickly, causing his head to spin. He looked down at his arm, which was burning with pain. He shuddered, remembering his nightmare and the piercing scream that resounded in his memory. A lullaby had saved him, and Freddie wondered where the song had come from. He stretched and yawned, still exhausted from the events of the last two days. Kloppman had gotten him signed in, promising not to divulge Freddie's secret, and Racetrack had showed him where he could get some sleep. He had slept quite soundly, save for some shouting and barking earlier. Funny, he thought, he didn't remember seeing a dog.

* * *

Chloe beamed, laying down her cards. A groan made its way around the table.

Racetracks' mouth dropped in awe, "Amazing…"

"Wow…" Mush smirked.

Itey shook his had sadly, "I don't believe it…"

"Well," Chloe smiled again, "Believe it!" She moved to scoop up the poker pot from the middle of the table. Chuckling softly she said, "I warned you before hand. Poker genius, I said. But you insisted that I play."

Specs removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Yeah, but we din't believe ya…" he sighed, "Yer jist a goil."

Across the table, Jack marveled. "And I mistook ya fer da shy type."

"I guess this game has cured me." Chloe answered, tucking her winnings in to her pocket. "Boys, it's been lovely. Really, it has." She stood to leave, and the boys stood respectfully, thanking her for a good game. Mush pulled back Chloe's chair for her, and showed her to the other side of the room. She yawned and stretched her neck, rotating her head from side to side.

"Are ya tired?" Mush asked thoughtfully, "Cause I could show ya wheah to sleep if ya are."

Chloe finished yawning and nodded, "Yeah that would be great, thanks, this day has worn me out."

"Alright, follow me." Mush gently put his arm around Chloe's back, and led her up the stairs of the lodging house. At the top of the stairs he escorted her down a long hallway to a closed door. Pushing it open slightly, Mush whispered, "Dora's in da bed in da back on da left. You two can share, or you can claim da bunk next to 'er. No mattah."

Chloe whispered her thanks, and slowly made her way through the dark. She kept a hand on the upper row of bunks, using them as a guide in the unfamiliar room. Unaware of the slowly waking figure in the bunk she was passing, Chloe found her cousin and climbed in to bed.

* * *

Freddie jumped slightly as the door to the dark room opened just enough to send a thin beam of light across the shadowy floor. Hearing unintelligible whispers in the doorway, Freddie again slumped down under his blanket. A dark figure made its way down the row of bunks slowly, seeming to have trouble finding its way. The figure passed Freddie without even a turn of its head, and he watched it until the figure ducked in to a bed on the end of the row. 


	6. New Day

The morning sun was a welcome sight for the newsies. A new day meant a new adventure, and new opportunities. On this particular day, the bunkroom was alive with movement as the newsies awoke. In clusters, they piled away from their beds and in to the nearby washroom where a haphazard line snaked its way around the sinks. An unfamiliar face stumbled in the crowd, struggling to prepare himself for the day. The once serene morning air was shattered by the exodus of kids from the Newsboys Lodging House. Inside, whether it was from consideration, or from sheer neglect, no one stopped to wake the newcomers in the bottom bunk of the last row.

* * *

"Come on, come on!" A greasy plump man with speckled hair barked from behind a window. The newsies trickled through the line, some polite, some arrogant, some downright rude. Most of them had the routine down, but towards the end of the line, Racetrack Higgins was showing a new kid the ropes.

"So dis is da distribution centah, wheah we get our papes. Da doit ball behind da window is Weasel. Nobody likes 'im too well, but we gotta go t'rough 'im to make a livin', so ya know." Racetrack shrugged here, and moved up a space in line, Freddie following suit.

Just before melting in to his bed the night before, Freddie was given a hurried introduction to most of the newsboys and newsgirls he was sharing a bunkhouse with. Racetrack had explained to Freddie how they earned their keep, and after little deliberation, Freddie decided a little money wouldn't hurt anything. And it would definitely be useful in his search for the girls. But just for a few days, he told himself.

"Hey Race, Freddie." A boy called Snoddy greeted, nodding to each boy.

"Mornin'", Freddie replied.

Race slid his thumbs through his belt loops, "How many didja get?" he asked, gesturing towards the stack of papers in the boys arms.

"Ahh, 60. Interestin' story, page t'ree." Snoddy replied. "Meet fer lunch?"

"Shoa thing," was the answer, and the boy was off.

"He doesn't really got a lot to say, does he?" Freddie inquired.

Racetrack chuckled and shook his head, "Nah, dat's actually how he got 'is name. Everybody thought 'e was pretty stuck up when 'e foist got 'ere. Ya know, snoody. Evolved ta Snoddy soon aftah. But e's a good guy. Ah!" Racetrack moved up to the window, requesting "50 papes." The odiferous man behind the window handed them over. Race thanked him and turned to Freddie. "Alright. Yer turn. Jist git thoity 'er so, since it's yer foist day an all."

Freddie did as he was told, and the boys were soon on their way.

* * *

Dora fidgeted impatiently on the bunk next to her cousin. "Chloe, wake up, wake up. I gotta go Chloe!" she cried uncomfortably. Reaching out her little hands, she pushed her cousin, hard. "Chloe I mean it -wake up!"

The older blonde rolled over partially, smacking Dora's hands away. "Alright already, enough with the pushing." She mumbled, still half asleep.

"Chloe, I'm serious! Get up- you gotta take me to the potty, I mean it, I mean it, I gotta go bad!" With this last word, Dora leapt from the bed and began to turn in tight circles, jumping up and down and wearing a pained look on her face.

At the mention of 'potty', Chloe's eyes sprang to life. She quickly got out of bed, and began to run towards the bunkroom entrance. A squeal from behind her made her turn around. She sprinted back to where Dora was jumping and plucked her up, turning back towards the door. "Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom," Chloe mumbled, searching frantically.

"There!" Dora squeaked, pointing towards a door on the other side of the hall.

Kicking open the door to the washroom, Chloe slid to the nearest stall, depositing Dora on the potty. Sliding down the wall just outside the door and bringing her knees to her chest, Chloe sighed, "Did we make it, Dora?"

A cheerful, "Yup!" came from inside and Dora giggled, causing Chloe to moan and drop her head into her hands.


	7. Morning

Kloppman breathed deeply, settling in to the uncomfortable wooden rocking chair. The morning had been hectic- but awaking his kids usually was. They always managed to make him smile, though, and he welcomed his time with the newsies.

After seeing them out the door, the old man had searched for sheets and blankets in need of washing. He dumped them in a wash pile near his small apartment on the first floor, and put fresh ones in their place. The man took pride in little things, and enjoyed leaving little treats under pillows, such as a small piece of candy or coloring pages for the youngest kids. It wasn't much, but it didn't go unappreciated.

At the end of this particular mornings laundry switch, the old man had walked back down the stairs and in to his room. Joey, the smallest of their unconventional family, was temporarily sharing Kloppman's apartment. The boy had been given quite a beating, and although he was recovering well, the tiny frightened child did not like being alone. So, of course, the kind landlord, who was much like a grandfather to the newsies, opened his room to Joey. Kloppman now sat next to his bed, checking to make sure the boy was alright.

Just as he had closed his eyes for a bit of rest, a great ruckus echoed from the second floor. Kloppman chuckled and thought, 'The new kids must be awake.' Getting up out of the chair, Kloppman left the room quietly, shutting the door behind him, careful not to wake Joey.

Minutes later, the stairs creaked under the weight of two girls as they made their way down to the lobby. The older, Chloe as he recalled, smiled cheerfully. "Morning, sir."

"Oh you can jist call me Kloppman. How was yer night?" he asked.

The smaller girl lifted her chin, answering, "It was great! Just the morning was real close to going real bad 'cause Chloe wouldn't get up."

Chloe smacked Dora lightly on the back of the head. "Yeah, yeah."

Kloppman's eyes sparkled as he chuckled, "Well, glad ta hear it din't go bad, den. How does a lil breakfast sound?"

* * *

"Racetrack, this just isn't working out. Look, I'm sorry, but I can't do this." Freddie sighed, exasperated. His arm was aching, his fingers were black, and his throat was raw. He decided he absolutely did not like selling newspapers, and sat down on the curb. 

Race yelled out the headline excitedly, thanking a man who handed him money for a paper. He turned, "Ah, come on Fred. It's jist yer foist day. Yer doin' great!"

Freddie glanced at the few newspapers wedged in the crook of Racetrack's arm, then frowned down at the pile beside him. He mumbled, "Yeah, great."

Race laughed, and took half of Freddie's pile, "Alright alright, stop mopin' already. I'll help ya out." After Freddie made no move to stand, "Come on, ya gotta try. Nobody's gonna buy from ya wit yer bum planted on da ground."

Freddie moaned dramatically and pushed himself up from the curb.

Racetrack leaned over, whispering a headline in Freddie's ear. He raised one eyebrow, "Are you serious?"

Racetrack nodded slowly, pursing his lips. "Dat's what sells, kid."

Freddie cleared his throat, ready to make another attempt at being a newsie. As he knelt down to take a few papers from his pile, a gust of wind raked through the street, sending papers flying. Freddie cried out, stepping on the remainder of his pile, and flailing to catch the rest.

Race put a hand on Freddie's shoulder, "Pay 'em no mind, kid. Ya got plently left." He said, laughing.

Freddie rolled his eyes and stood on his thinning stack.

* * *

Not too far away, a wind blown paper came to a rest on the dusty street. The pages had opened, leaving page three exposed. An unimportant man plucked the paper off the street and showed it to his wife, "Look dear, it's another article about that terrible house fire- those poor children." 

The man's wife looked troubled, "They're still missing! Just think of what could've happened to them!"


	8. Recognition

"Alright, ready or not! Here I come!" A boy stomped down the stairs dramatically. "You can't hide from me!"

Giggles echoed around the room. The youngest inhabitants of the Newsboys Lodging House were highly involved in a suspenseful game of hide-and-seek. Chloe and a few early-returning older newsboys were helping out, glad for the relaxation. The seeker slunk around the room, purposefully overlooking the children hiding in oh-so-obvious spots. Poppy galloped over the floorboards, yipping happily.

A small girl with black waves poked her head out from behind an open door. Across the room, Chloe spotted the head and caught the seeker's attention. She pointed towards the door. The seeker turned the girls' way, and she let out a high-pitched giggle, quickly covering her hand with her mouth. The boy ran towards her, throwing open the door. "Found you!"

Another giggle sent the girl running with the seeker in hot pursuit. "Boots don't! Don't!" the girl shrieked. The seeker, Boots, plucked the girl from the floor, lifting her onto his shoulders. He spun her around playfully, than dropped her onto a fluffy couch towards the back of the room. Chloe chuckled to herself softly, and climbed the stairs to the bunkroom, eager for an afternoon nap. She called to Poppy, who followed her faithfully.

In a crevice beneath the stairs where Chloe walked, another little girl sat perfectly still. Dora watched the end of the chase from her hiding spot, slinking further in to the crevice as Boots searched for the remaining contenders.

* * *

Racetrack slapped Freddie on the back, "So, aftah all's said and done, it wadn't too bad, was it?"

Freddie sifted through the day's earnings, "Nah, I guess not." He looked around at his friends, "I could get used to it, I guess."

The boys, along with Snoddy and Specs, were walking back to the lodging house. They had met for a quick lunch, and were now heading to take a rest before leaving again to sell the evening edition.

"How's yer arm?" Snody asked, nodding in Freddie's direction.

Freddie glanced down at his arm, rotating it gently. "It's alright. Sore, but alright."

"What happened to ya anyways?" Race inquired, kicked at a stone on the dusty street.

"I just burned it in a little accident- nothing too bad."

"Ain't dat ironic," Snoddy piped up, "Jist like page t'ree."

"Yeah, yeah," Specs added, "Dere was a story in da pape 'bout a kid who boined 'is arm in some house fire."

Freddie held his breath for a moment, turning to face the Specs. "House fire?"

"Yeah, yeah, dis kid. Guess he ended up savin' two liddle goils from some boinin' house, got boined 'imself, den disappeared from da hospital. Real strange."

Freddie's mind drifted back to the events surrounding the fire, and remembered his mission to find the girls, "Yeah. Real strange."

* * *

"Alright! Game's ovah! Olly olly oxen free!" Boots called.

He had managed to find all but one of the little tykes, Dora. The not-so-successful hiders were squished together on the couch, giggling as the played.

From her crevice, Dora pouted. She had really wanted to win, but Boots called again and she reluctantly dragged herself out from under the stairs.

"Ah, dere she 'is. Good goin' kid." said the older boy, smiling down at her.

She pouted at him, jutting her lower lip out.

"What's dat for?" he asked, pointing to her protruding lip.

Dora looked down at her feet, nudging a knothole in the floor with her toe. "Well, it's just that…I wanted to spunned around like Mollie."

Boots laughed, "Oh, is dat all." He leaned down and lifted Dora on to his shoulders. "I can take care a dat." With that, he gave her a victory spin around the lobby.

* * *

Four boys climbed the few steps to the lodging house door. "I. Am. Beat." Specs yawned.

"Well da day ain't ovah yet, buddy boy." said Race, opening the door for his friends.

Giggles from the center of the room caught their attention. Boots was spinning madly in the middle of the floor, a small girl on his shoulders. A line, consisting of the youngest among them, was forming behind the tiring boy. Snoddy laughed, "Looks like 'e could use some help."

He headed for Boots, scooping up a kid of his own. Racetrack and Specs soon followed. Freddie headed around the mass and towards the couch. Race turned, "Ain't ya comin?"

Freddie lifted his injured arm, "Nah I'll sit this one out."

Race lifted his head in understanding, and turned to the excited mass of children. Freddie smiled, turning his attention to the little blonde on Boots' shoulders as he took his seat on the couch. He narrowed his eyes. Something about that girl is awfully familiar, he thought, watching as Boots set her down. The little girl swooned, stumbled, and fell in his direction. She fell to her knees just in front of the couch. Freddie reached out and grabbed the girls arm, helping her to her feet. "There you go, kid."

Still a little woozy, the girl looked in to Freddie's eyes. "Thanks." She cooed. Freddie gasped, releasing the girls' arms. He suddenly realized where she recognized the girl from. His mind soared as he recognized the girl in front of him as the younger girl from the fire.


End file.
